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The Unofficial Blogger of the Chicago Cubs in Canada

Cubs Send Seven To All Star Game

There are seven Chicago Cubs starting the All Star Game in San Diego. At first base and your North Side hero, Anthony Rizzo. Starting at second base Ben Zobrist. Shortstop, but not short on talent is Addison Russell. National league home run leader and your 2016 third base All Star, Kris Bryant.

“It’ll be really cool starting the game and throwing to those guys in San Diego,” Anthony Rizzo said.

That’s the first time since 1985 that five players have started the game. That’s pretty awesome.

“Among all of them, I wanted them to realize — especially the new guys — to make sure you slow it down and enjoy every second of it,” Joe Maddon said. “‘You’re an All-Star right now, you earned this right to be there. Go play, but make sure you enjoy every second.'”

That’s the good news.

Yesterday, the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Chicago Cubs 9-5, you know the team that just sent seven All Stars to San Diego for the 2016 MLB All Star Game? Yeah, they lost to a team that is sending only one All Star in Adam Duvall.

Yeah that team.

This is the second time that John Lackey couldn’t get into a groove but it’s not just Lackey that’s struggling, we know it’s the rest of the team as well(Ok, except maybe Kris Bryant and Addison Russell).

It was a frustrating game even for manager Joe Maddon who was thrown out of the game after arguing a 3-0 count when the next pitch was called a strike. He thought it was a ball and argued the call.

“It was the culmination of calls that have gone against us recently at the plate, and it kind of boiled over in that particular moment,” Maddon said. “I haven’t had a day off in a while, so that was an appropriate time to do it.”

The Cubs will try to close out the Reds today before a one game series against the Atlanta Braves, which is a make up game from earlier, then it’s off to Pittsburgh on the weekend and yours truly will be there on Sunday.

So as the Cubs try to turn the corner before the All Star Game next week, a game which I believe shouldn’t be left up to the fans to decide who’ll play in the classic; the team is hurting and needs to find their groove.

Hopefully after the break that groove will be back.

“I think what that says is we have an incredible fan base that’s in our corner,” Ben Zobrist said. “As players, we become the benefactors. … We’re glad we’re Chicago Cubs now, and I think that’s why a lot of players want to be here.”